Methods for biometric based identification or authentication implement pattern-recognition techniques to compare acquired biometric features or identifiers against previously recorded biometric features or identifiers, to determine or verify identity of a subject. A digital feature set corresponding to an acquired biometric feature or identifier is encoded based on acquired feature or identifier, using mathematical or statistical algorithms. The digital feature set or template is compared with databases of previously encoded digital templates (stored feature sets corresponding to previously acquired biometric features or identifiers), for locating a match and determining or verifying identity of the subject.
Biometric identifiers may comprise one or more physiological characteristics that are uniquely associated with an individual—such as for example, fingerprints, palm vein characteristics, facial characteristics, DNA patterns, palm print characteristics, iris or retina patterns, eye vein, periocular and odour/scent characteristics.
Systems for biometric based recognition ordinarily comprise one or more sensors for detecting or recording biometric features or identifiers, and a processing apparatus for encoding the acquired biometric features or identifiers and for comparing the encoded features or identifiers against databases of previously encoded features or identifiers that have been stored as digital templates. For example, systems for iris recognition comprise an imaging apparatus for capturing an image of a subject's iris(es) and an image processing apparatus for encoding and comparing the captured image information against previously stored iris image information. The imaging apparatus and image processing apparatus may comprise separate devices, or may be combined within a single device.
While biometric recognition systems have been previously available as dedicated devices, it is increasingly desirable to incorporate biometric recognition capabilities into multi-capability devices having inbuilt sensors or cameras, including electronic devices, computing devices, handheld devices or mobile devices such as mobile communication devices or mobile computing devices, such as for example, mobile phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants, tablets, laptops, wearable computing devices or even automobiles, or automotive components and accessories having inbuilt cameras.
Although use of such devices for biometric recognition or authentication is convenient and cost-effective, unsecured processing of information recorded by sensors within such devices presents serious security concerns and potential for identity theft.
A first security concern arises from the threat of viruses, malware or other malicious software which may be present within a device and may be used to misappropriate biometric information—such as images of a biometric feature corresponding to a subject, or biometric feature information extracted from such images, or digital feature sets encoded based on such images, which misappropriated data or information may thereafter be used to impersonate a subject.
A second security concern arises in connection with visual feedback mechanisms implemented within a device for ensuring that the biometric sensors are positioned appropriately relative to a subject, to ensure optimal capture of biometric information.
Since operation of a biometric sensor for capture purposes may be carried out by the subject undergoing biometric identification or authentication, some form of feedback is required to enable the subject to correctly position the device relative to the biometric feature of interest. In the case of iris based biometrics, correct positioning ensures that the subject's iris is appropriately positioned within an iris camera's field of view. Visual feedback for positioning may be provided by displaying (on a display device), real-time or near-real-time images captured by the camera. A subject may adjust the position of the camera/image acquisition device relative to the biometric feature of interest, until an image of the entire biometric feature (or substantially the entire biometric feature) is displayed on the display device—which image display confirms that the biometric feature of interest is positioned appropriately within the camera's field of view. In cases where the image acquisition device is an inbuilt camera within a computer, or within a handheld device, a display screen of the computer or handheld device serves as the display device for displaying images of the biometric feature of interest.
The above method for providing visual feedback for correct positioning of a feature of interest presents a security risk—since in displaying feedback images, information corresponding to the displayed biometric feature is vulnerable to misappropriation by photographic or video acquisition of the image rendered on the device display.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide secure methods and systems for biometric feature acquisition and processing.